Photograph by: Luiz Lopes
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METRO VANCOUVER -- Two members of local rock band Tommy Alto are in critical condition following a car accident early Monday morning.

The crash occurred around 7:30 a.m. just east of Hope. The band was in a van heading back from the last show on a recent tour when their vehicle went off the road and crashed into a boulder.

"We're really not entirely sure how it happened," said Tom Vander Kam, lead singer of the group. "I was asleep when it happened and somehow we ended up going off the road and we hit a boulder and went into a barrel roll."

According to Vander Kam, most of the group, including himself, were injured in the accident, with members suffering puncture wounds, cracked ribs, concussions and soft tissue damage.

"Our roadie was also very lucky, he bounced off the ceiling and then landed in a pile of blankets so he walked away from the accident," said Vander Kam.

However two of the group's members - drummer Chartwell Kerr and bassist Paul Engels - are both in critical condition, having suffered far more serious injuries than the rest.

"They both have collapsed lungs, head trauma and a lot of internal bleeding and broken ribs," said Vander Kam. "Our drummer's whole left leg completely shattered because he was in the front passenger seat and the engine actually came through the dashboard upon impact. The only reason he's alive is because he was leaning back sleeping in his chair. Otherwise he would have gone face first into the engine and been gone."

Both Kerr and Engels are currently in medically induced comas.

When asked about the drive, Vander Kam said the group had been driving the whole night following the final show of a recent tour that ended in Coleman, Alta. on Sunday.

"We played our last show and just decided to drive back that night instead of staying there because our schedules were getting a little tight and we wanted to get home as soon as possible," said Vander Kam. "We were all pretty homesick and wanted to get back and in the end I guess our driver was tired and couldn't react. Really none of us know what happened, it was just so sudden."

Since the accident, the band has received an outpouring of support from fans and general well-wishers from all over. It's something Vander Kam is amazed by and can't thank people enough for their concern.

"It's really great to know there are so many people thinking of us, especially Paul and Chartwell because they're in the worst condition," he said. "The outpouring of support for the whole band on Twitter and Facebook, everyone on our social network, the support has been absolutely amazing.

"We're all keeping Paul and Chartwell in our thoughts and hoping for the best for them."

Finally, Vander Kam is hopeful the accident will only slow the group down, and doesn't want people to dwell on the incident as a defining moment for the band.

"Honestly, the best thing is to just look forward to our return to music - I don't want us to be famous for being in a terrible car accident," said Vander Kam. "We are a band and that's what we do and what we love and it may take weeks or months but we will return and keep making music together as a unit and the best thing that the community can do is look forward to that. Don't dwell on the tragedy because that's the last thing we want people to focus on. We're a positive group of people and want to be able to share that with family, friends and supporters."